Nearly seven million Venezuelans could be affected by this week’s double earthquakes as the death toll rises to at least 235 people amid massive, growing needs and ongoing emergency search and rescue efforts, UN agencies reported on Friday

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  UN and humanitarian partners on the ground are rapidly scaling up the response, conducting assessments and mobilising assistance in the wake of the earthquakes as death tolls rise beyond 200, at least several thousand are suffering injuries and people remain trapped under collapsed buildings
• $15 million allocated from the UN Central Emergency Relief Fund to support urgent, lifesaving assistance, including health care, shelter, food and safe water
• Venezuelan Government is leading response efforts focused on search and rescue, emergency medical care and damage assessment
• UN relief agency OCHA is supporting coordination efforts on the ground, facilitating information-sharing and working with partners to help ensure the effective deployment of international search and rescue teams
• 30 search and rescue teams are deploying from various countries to Venezuela, with more than 1,600 personnel and more than 100 dogs
• UN disaster assessment and coordination teams have also been mobilised, along with a four-member operational support team, and several OCHA staff have been deployed to Venezuela
• Extensive damage: At least 250 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, particularly in La Guaira state some 30km north of Caracas, the worst-affected area
• Critical infrastructure remains severely disrupted, including electricity, water, telecommunications and transport, with Maiquetía International Airport still closed due to damage, hospitals operating under mass casualty protocols and shelters established for displaced families
• UN continues its emergency appeal for Venezuela for public donations. Managed by OCHA’s office in Caracas, the donations go to the Venezuela Humanitarian Fund to provide lifesaving aid, healthcare, food and emergency shelter through trusted local partners.

IOM: Displacement poised to increase

As people seek safety and shelter, it’s clear displacement will increase in quake-affected Venezuela, a UN migration agency, IOM, spokesperson said today.

Up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the earthquakes, including up to two million in Caracas, the capital, said IOM’s Zoe Brennan.

IOM’s partners at Microsoft AI For Good Lab shared initial satellite mapping assessments, indicating that 31.5 per cent of buildings Catia La Mar, are damaged.

Right now, IOM teams are preparing to provide those in need with shelter, protection and essential relief supplies as well as water, sanitation and hygiene support, Ms. Brennan said.